Configuration of a virtual service network

Abstract

Configuration of a virtual service network by a configuring node includes: determining that the virtual service is to be configured; determining a configuration associated with the virtual service and including packet forwarding policies associated with the virtual service, each packet forwarding policy including a virtual service network address and a destination; and sending the packet forwarding policies in the configuration to a network node. The network node: stores the packet forwarding policies; receives a data packet for the virtual service and including a virtual service network address; determines a match between the virtual service network address in the data packet with the virtual service network address in a given packet forwarding policy of the stored packet forwarding policies; obtains a given destination in the given packet forwarding policy; and sends the data packet to a service load balancer associated with the given destination by the network node.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13 / 706,363, filed on Dec. 6, 2012, and is incorporation by reference herein in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field[0003]This invention relates generally to data communications, and more specifically, to a virtual service network.[0004]2. Background[0005]Service load balancers such as server load balancers or application delivery controllers typically balance load among a plurality of servers providing network services such as Web documents, voice calls, advertisements, enterprise applications, video services, gaming, or consuming broadband services. A service is used by many client computers. Some services are offered for few clients and some services are offered to many clients. Typically a service is handled by a service load balancer. When there are many clients utilizing the service at the same time, the service load balancer will handle the dist...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a method for configuring a virtual service network, which involves determining a virtual service to be configured, identifying a configuration associated with the virtual service, and sending packet forwarding policies to a network node. These policies include one or more destination addresses and the network node stores the policies for comparison with incoming data packets. The network node then determines the destination address based on the configuration and sends the data packet to a service load balancer associated with that destination. The invention also provides a system and computer program product for implementing this method. The technical effects of the invention include improved load balancing and flexibility in configuring virtual service networks.

Problems solved by technology

However, as the capacity of the service load balancer is reached, a network administrator cannot easily add a second service load balancer, since a service is typically assigned to an IP address of the service load balancer.

Adding another service load balancer having the same IP address for the service is not possible in a data network.

Network nodes in the data network would not be able to determine which service load balancer to send a client service access to.

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